I think that schools should be funded by an income tax and divided up on a per pupil basis. That would totally level the field and make the tax system much more fair.
Not sure how that would make it any different than it is now. Schools are funded with property tax rather than income tax, but regardless, it's taxpayers paying for it, whether they have kids or not. In California, they've begun distributing funds on a more equal basis across the state, rather than having the local community's tax dollars go to fund the local school, which created really good schools in wealthy neighborhoods, and really poor schools in poor neighborhoods.
Lindsey 0
I think you're absolutely right. My child went to Montessori school until he was 7 and we moved. What struck me was that there were a few wealthy families with kids there, but mostly they were people with modest incomes who found a way to pay for the school. There were a lot of people who drove older cars, who helped pick each other's children up after school because of work obligations, and who had to scrape up the money for their kids to attend there.
On one hand, if vouchers were to help lower income folks send their kids to private school, and they REALLY were interested in their child's educational opportunities, then I think they'd find a way to manage the rest. But I think it's a bad idea for exactly the reason that it was overturned in FL: it weakens the public school system.
My experience with public schools....in a really rural district with lots of kids with behavior problems....has been great. Jay's learning a whole lot about people, and how to get along with people with backgrounds very different from his. He's also had to deal with bullies, and he's become very capable of asserting himself when he needs to. I feel like he's learning RRRs well. But I think it's just as important to be able to deal with all kinds of people....you're gonna have to be able to do it for the rest of your life, and I have no desire to deny my child the opportunity (lol) to learn how to do it while he's young.
On one hand, if vouchers were to help lower income folks send their kids to private school, and they REALLY were interested in their child's educational opportunities, then I think they'd find a way to manage the rest. But I think it's a bad idea for exactly the reason that it was overturned in FL: it weakens the public school system.
My experience with public schools....in a really rural district with lots of kids with behavior problems....has been great. Jay's learning a whole lot about people, and how to get along with people with backgrounds very different from his. He's also had to deal with bullies, and he's become very capable of asserting himself when he needs to. I feel like he's learning RRRs well. But I think it's just as important to be able to deal with all kinds of people....you're gonna have to be able to do it for the rest of your life, and I have no desire to deny my child the opportunity (lol) to learn how to do it while he's young.
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A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail
TheAnvil 0
I've a lot to say with two posts in the thread - this one makes three. Hmm...perhaps your definition of 'a lot' differs from my own.
School vouchers should be allowed in FL because the government has taken on the burden of providing a uniform education for all children in Florida. It says that right in the FL constitution, which you would know had you read it. When public schools FAIL to perform, that constitutional requirement is not being met, i.e. the government is FAILING to live up to its responsibilities. Vouchers allow the government to mitigate that failing. They also simultaneously reduce class size in the failing schools for the children whose parents choose not to avail themselves of the vouchers.
If you would like a voucher program to hire a security firm then call you congressman and ask him to introduce a bill to fund such a program. I don't think one necessary as the onus for home and personal security ultimately falls upon the homeowner or tenant, but think however you like.
FYI, I tutor calculus and physics, not that it's germane to the argument at hand. Do you? If not, perhaps you should. I had a fantastic education in college by the way, though my public school education wasn't all that hot. I transferred from a private to a public school in Appalachia quite early on in my development and will never forget the experience. I know how bad public schools compare to private ones from my own experience. The voucher program is needed and was working for 700 kids.
I didn't read how happy you were that these 700 kids will be going from a good school to a failing one. Any thoughts on that? You also failed to find flaw with my argument against the rulings of the FL courts - SC on uniform public education and the lower court on religioun and public $$. May I assume that you can find no flaw and are just ranting against the voucher concept in general?
I'm going for a run @ the beach then waddling to Zhllls. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
School vouchers should be allowed in FL because the government has taken on the burden of providing a uniform education for all children in Florida. It says that right in the FL constitution, which you would know had you read it. When public schools FAIL to perform, that constitutional requirement is not being met, i.e. the government is FAILING to live up to its responsibilities. Vouchers allow the government to mitigate that failing. They also simultaneously reduce class size in the failing schools for the children whose parents choose not to avail themselves of the vouchers.
If you would like a voucher program to hire a security firm then call you congressman and ask him to introduce a bill to fund such a program. I don't think one necessary as the onus for home and personal security ultimately falls upon the homeowner or tenant, but think however you like.
FYI, I tutor calculus and physics, not that it's germane to the argument at hand. Do you? If not, perhaps you should. I had a fantastic education in college by the way, though my public school education wasn't all that hot. I transferred from a private to a public school in Appalachia quite early on in my development and will never forget the experience. I know how bad public schools compare to private ones from my own experience. The voucher program is needed and was working for 700 kids.
I didn't read how happy you were that these 700 kids will be going from a good school to a failing one. Any thoughts on that? You also failed to find flaw with my argument against the rulings of the FL courts - SC on uniform public education and the lower court on religioun and public $$. May I assume that you can find no flaw and are just ranting against the voucher concept in general?
I'm going for a run @ the beach then waddling to Zhllls. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!
"A common misconception is that, armed with a voucher, parents could enroll their children at any school - public or private. In truth, several obstacles would still prevent the majority of voucher recipients from ever using them: private schools are under no obligation to accept students, and would likely reject the majority of those with histories of behavior problems, learning disabilities, or unstable family situations... those with the most to gain under this proposal are not the working poor or minority communities, but the wealthy, who will gain tax credits for something they already do (send their kids to private schools), and the Christian Right, who are eager to use their vouchers to fund a religious education." (soyouwanna.com) Eight out of ten families that accept vouchers had to pay out of their pockets as well (AP). While the program was designed to require schools to take the voucher to cover the entire tuition, private schools have been tacking on "fees" to make up the difference.
Unfortunately, what it comes down to is that many private schools don't want low income children. They make their money based on their reputations, and are very reluctant to accept students who may not be able to uphold those reputations. Private schools are allowed to discriminate. That's part of what makes them private. Even if the school did want to accept the voucher students, many of Florida's voucher eligible students are special-ed, and most private schools don't have the facilities or training to provide for special needs kids.
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